: Got up at the crack of dawn this morning to pretape another blog segment about Michael Jackson for MSNBC dayside. Then came breaking news in Atlanta: a shooting in the courthouse (killing a judge and a court reporter). I heard the anchor who’d interviewed me say that they were waiting for the helicopter shots. Oh, no, when the helicopter arrives, that’s it: wall-to-wall coverage. So reaction to Michael Jackson in court got bumped by murder in court. Can’t argue with that news judgment….

And a good thing that is. Michael Jackson’s irrelevant — you’ve said so here, before. I think if MSNBC does ask you for blogger reactions to Michael Jackson, you should be upfront and acknowledge that virtually no-one outside of cable news and tabloids cares.

“Can’t argue with that news judgment…”
Perhaps not, but one can argue with the news judgment of shows that pump Jackson pap at the drop of a pajama bottom, and the willing commentators who chime in at a producer’s phone call.